Note: This is a seattlepi.com reader blog. It is not written or edited by the P-I. The authors are solely responsible for content. E-mail us at newmedia@seattlepi.com if you consider a post inappropriate.

Sounders Off To A Good Start In 2012

The Seattle Sounders are now four games into the season, sitting on a record of 2 wins, 1 loss, and 1 draw. So how does that compare to the first four games in their previous three MLS seasons? Well, actually pretty good. Only the 2009 season saw the Sounders get off to a better start than this year. In their inaugural season in MLS the Sounders tore through the first four games with an impressive 3-1-0 record.

Through the first four games of this season the Sounders have 7 points out of a possible 12. They’ve scored five goals while only conceding two. Which is a dramatic improvement over last year’s start where they went 0-2-2, scoring only three goals, and conceding five.

I think it’s also important to keep in mind that the Sounders have played three of the four games this season missing some key players due to injury. The most noticeable absence is of course Mauro Rosales. When Rosales is on the field the Sounders seem to step up to a higher level of play than when they’re without him. Rosales brings not only some impressive technical skills to the game, but he has a calming presence, as if the other players settle down a bit knowing that given time Rosales will help make something good happen. Without Rosales the Sounder’s have been turning to Roger Levesque to fill the right wide midfield position. Levesque is an energetic player who will always give you everything he’s got during a game. But as hard as he works, he doesn’t have the technical skills or leadership quality possessed by Rosales. The other player the Sounders have turned to fill Rosales’ position is the young Dane, Christian Sivebaek. In his limited playing time Sivebaek has shown that he has speed, and an ability to make some very nice crosses. Hopefully as the season progresses Sivebaek will develop into a suitable substitute for Rosales when needed. Fortunately for the Sounders it seems as though Rosales will be ready to reclaim his spot in the starting eleven for the next match.

Also missing for three of the last four games has been right back Adam Johansson, who like Rosales, picked up an injury in the first game of the season. In his place Zach Scott has done a more than adequate job on the defensive end. However Scott lacks the speed to get too far forward in the attack and still get back in time to defend the counter. And Johansson is much better at passing the ball out of the backfield than Scott.

The third player the Sounders have been missing due to injury is newly acquired striker Eddie Johnson. David Estrada has done exceptionally well at the forward position being responsible for four of the Sounders five goals this season. But Estrada and Johnson are very different types of forwards. Where Estrada uses his speed to exploit gaps in the defense, Johnson uses his physical advantage over most defenders to receive the ball with his back to the goal, and pass to the open attacking player. Johnson’s height advantage over Estrada makes him more dangerous on set pieces.

Even with so many key players missing from the line up recently the Sounders have utilized their deep bench to get off to one of their best starts since joining the MLS. With Rosales, Johansson, and Johnson ready to resume playing the Sounders could turn into a truly dominant team. A great test of how good the Sounders can be is coming up this Saturday when they host the Colorado Rapids.

Note: This is a seattlepi.com reader blog. It is not written or edited by the P-I. The authors are solely responsible for content. E-mail us at newmedia@seattlepi.com if you consider a post inappropriate.

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Simon MoyseBorn in London, Simon joined the Emerald City Supporters after he moved to Snohomish in 2004. He watches games with his son Elliott.